ASIS&T;
Since 1937, ASIS&T; has been the society for information professionals leading the search for new and better theories, techniques, and technologies to improve access to information.
The UX of Natural Disasters
When Superstorm Sandy hit the New York City metro area, millions of people were plunged to the bottom of Maslow’s hierarchy, reduced to needing the basics of survival: warmth, light, shelter, fuel. In seeking to fulfill those needs, they also sought information on how and when they could meet them. But in the days after the storm, reliable information was almost as scarce as electricity. The need for IAs and UX professionals to help organize and enable the flow of information between government and private companies and their constituents was glaringly obvious.
Utility companies, transit providers, and other services were unwilling or unable to provide reliable, clear information about when life would return to normal. In hard-hit New Jersey, utility companies first said nothing, then gave conflicting, inconsistent, and confusing information. While these service providers worked tirelessly to restore the services that customers needed, they failed to consider customers’ other overwhelming need: for accurate, timely, and easily accessible information. In fact, in many cases, citizens informed the service providers about what was going on, rather than the other way around.
What is the role of IAs in managing information in a crisis? In this talk, I will use my community’s experience during Superstorm Sandy to share ideas about how we as UX practitioners can contribute to the emerging field of crisis informatics, and I'll look at what we can do to facilitate a partnership between government, service providers, and customers that will aid in improving, to the extent possible, the user experience of a natural disaster.
Amy Silvers
Amy Silvers is an information architect and UX designer living and working in the New York City area. Over a career of nearly 10 years, she has worked for a variety of agencies and companies, for clients ranging from giant corporations to small nonprofits. Her infrequently maintained blog is redmolly.tumblr.com, and she tweets as @A_Silvers. Amy holds a master’s in library and information science and is a former children’s book editor.
